Egyptian City and Byzantine Necropolis

- The 18th-century city, discovered in Al-Arki village in the Qena Governorate, dates to the era of Sheikh Al-Arab Hammam, a powerful leader in Upper Egypt. Excavations have so far revealed six houses, some with mudbrick domes and others with palm trunk roofs, along with an industrial area. - Artifacts unearthed from the city provide a glimpse into daily life and include bronze coins, children's toys, jewelry, and textiles. A reused Byzantine limestone coffin lid was even found repurposed as flooring at one of the city's entrances. - The Coptic necropolis, found beneath the city, contains two distinct burial styles: simple ground interments and graves outlined with mudbrick. - Discoveries within the Coptic graves include linen wrappings and tunics featuring Coptic-style decorations such as geometric patterns, crosses, and inscriptions. A copper stamp, likely used for decorating cakes, was also found among the burial items. - The Old Kingdom tombs were located at Qubbet El-Hawa on the west bank of the Nile, a significant necropolis used from the Old Kingdom through the Greco-Roman era. These specific tombs date back to approximately 2686 to 2181 BCE. - An Egyptian mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities uncovered the tombs, which showed signs of being reused during the First Intermediate Period and the Middle Kingdom. - Inside two of the burial chambers, archaeologists found approximately 160 well-preserved pottery vessels of various shapes and sizes, many bearing hieratic inscriptions. - In an outer courtyard of the tombs, a collection of Middle Kingdom artifacts was discovered, including bronze mirrors, alabaster kohl containers, and colorful beaded necklaces.